UTA In The News — Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Chauvin case
Robert Bing, UT Arlington professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, said police need to behave more like guardians and less like warriors when patrolling minority neighborhoods in response to the Derek Chauvin verdict in the killing of George Floyd, KTVT CBS 11 reported.
Congressional race
Rebecca Deen, UT Arlington chair and associate professor for the Department of Political Science, said Ron Wright, the Arlington U.S. representative who died in February, had not built up a great amount of name recognition in rural parts of the district, which could favor those candidates lesser known in Tarrant County, KERA 90.1 FM reported. She added that many groups are choosing not to endorse anyone in the 6th Congressional District race, in which 23 candidates are on the ballot, the radio station reported in another segment.
CAPPA team takes first
A UT Arlington student team from the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs won first place in the master plan category of the ninth annual EPA RainWorks Challenge, Chattanoogan.com reported. The UTA entry is titled “The Path Forward: Contain, Clean, and Connect.” Here is the team’s video about the project. The national competition engages college students in the design of on-campus green infrastructure solutions to address stormwater pollution. First-place teams will receive a $7,000 student prize to be split among team members and a $3,000 faculty prize to support green infrastructure research and training.
UTA official to be part of Climate Week
Meghna Tare, chief sustainability officer for The University of Texas at Arlington, spoke on a national panel April 20 as part of U.S. Climate Action Week, a summit on climate change hosted by the Biden administration, Mirage News reported.
Community service project
Living Waters Park, which started in fall 2011 as a Capstone Project for the UT Arlington students of David Hopman, an associate professor in the Department of Landscape Architect, is now a full-fledged community service project empowering an underserved Fort Worth community, AB Digital reported. The project mission is to “provide an economic stimulus to East Fort Worth by providing water and land stewardship that targets arts, recreation and science, while preserving the beauty of Lake Arlington and celebrating our diverse community.”
RAPID project detailed
Spectrum News in Austin profiled RAPID (Rideshare, Automation, and Payment Integration Demonstration), an autonomous shuttle in which UT Arlington students receive free rides for the first year. The project, paid for with a Federal Transit Administration grant, is a collaboration between the city of Arlington, May Mobility, Via and the University.
Streaming culture
David Arditi, UTA associate professor of sociology, has a new book available entitled Streaming Culture: Subscription Platforms and the Unending Consumption of Culture, U.S. Fed News reported. Arditi’s research focuses on the intersection of culture and technology, and in his new book, he explores the complex and ever-evolving relationship that exists between the two.
The Big Event
The Big Event returned in a big way this year to The University of Texas at Arlington, drawing nearly 300 volunteers who participated in the University's day of service on April 10, U.S. Fed News reported. The annual event involves three days of community service and outreach by students, faculty and staff.